Title: Determining the Will of God
Scripture: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:5
IntroductionA pilot explained how airplanes are kept on their course by radar. A pilot cannot always see what is coming, particularly in bad weather. At best he can see only about a hundred miles; and yet he can fly his aircraft safely in all weathers, for the course is marked out for him by radar. If he deviates either to the right or to the left, the radar warns him accordingly. With the excitement of the New Year comes the added responsibility of trying to know the will of God for our lives. One of the questions many pastors get asked by their congregation is “what is the will of God for my life in this New Year?”
In an attempt to find the will of God for our lives, we find ourselves running from pillar to post, some times into the hands of the enemy. I asked myself, how is it possible for a man to know the mind of God? Is there a science to knowing God’s will for my life? Is there a prescribed way which I can repeat over and over again with the highest degree of accuracy to determine God’s will and purpose for my life?
There are several examples of how God speaks to people. In the scripture, Paul’s conversion was dramatic on his way to Damascus (Acts 9: 1 – 20) however not every one of us will have such encounters with God. Here are ways I have identified
- God speaks through His Word: Gods Word holds the answers to all of life’s questions (Psalms 119:89). It is always relevant and applicable. There is nothing new under the heaven, so we can always find answer to the questions of our heart in His Word.
- Seek input of godly advisors: Godly Counsellors will be instrumental in helping you discern God’s plan for your life. The scripture tells “Where there is no counsel, the people fall; but in the multitude of counselors there is safe” (Proverbs 11:14). Choose to surround yourself with godly advisors.
- Divine Dreams and Visions: God sometimes speaks through our dream or vision. But we have to be careful in allowing dreams and visions to be our only criteria for judging God’s will for our lives make sure there is reinforcing evidence.
- Pay attention to your surrounding and how God has wired you: Take a look at the circumstance that surrounds you. God sometimes tells us of His plan for our lives by lining up circumstances in peculiar ways around. God has created you to fulfil a specific role in this world and He gives grace to fulfil that role. Do some self analysis.
- Pray and Listen to God’s Spirit: Too many times in prayer we tell God what we want and not listening to hear what He wants to tell us. I experienced a major turning point in my prayer life when I learned simply to learnt to listen more and talk less. This is an attitude meekness and He promised to guide the meek (Ps. 25:9)
In 2017, If your goal is genuinely to know His will, then you seek Him in all your ways and planning. God is not playing hard to get or trying to stop us from enjoying life. After all he made all things, my prayer is that each and everyone of us discover God’s will for our lives.
Points
- please make your will known to me in a clear and simple manner
- Father teach me your ways that I may know you
- Father please What is the next step in my career, finance, ministry, education etc.
- Father order my foot steps
